On Friday, June 2, Governor Terry McAuliffe announced the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) allocation of $31.4 million in federal emergency preparedness and security grants to the Commonwealth. Of that money, the Hampton Roads region will receive $1million from the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grant.

The funding marked the first time since 2014 the region has been designated as a UASI region, following a three year effort by local, state and federal officials to restore this designation. The UASI program provides funding for planning, organization, equipment, training, and exercise needs of high-threat, high-density Urban Areas to assist in building an enhanced and sustainable capacity to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism

“Hampton Roads’ return to the UASI program is due to the significant coordination between Virginia’s congressmen, senators, regional mayors and elected officials, emergency management professionals and the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission who banded together to work with Washington to restore the critical funding for vital security and emergency preparedness projects,”said Brian Moran, Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security.

The $31.4 million in grants announced today are vital to the homeland security and emergency management community to help build, sustain and deliver programs to achieve a secure and resilient Commonwealth.

“We are thrilled that DHS has once again recognized the need to fund critical security initiatives throughout the Commonwealth,” said Governor McAuliffe. “Virginia plays a unique role in the security of our nation. We are home to more than two dozen military installations, the second largest military presence in the country, and many other national security and economic assets that require significant resources to protect. We are proud to have secured this critical funding for our Commonwealth and especially pleased that DHS heard our input and restored Hampton Roads as a designated UASI region.”